Screen stencil with separate border strips



Dec. 17, 1968 1', H, KRUEGER, JR 7 3,416,445

SCREEN STENCIL WITH SEPARATE BORDER STRIPS 7 Filed Oct. 18, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 6 l I I "m:

6 6 INVENTOR 3 42 I Theodore Kvueqev, AV.

7 mm'wmm ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1968 1', KRUEGER-JR 3,416,445

SCREEN STENCIL WITH SEPARATE BORDER STRIPS Filed Oct. 18, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet Z A INVENTOR Theodore. H. Krueqendr.

ORNEYS United States Patent 3,416,445 SCREEN STENCIL WITH SEPARATE BORDER STRIPS Theodore H. Krueger, Jr., Mapledale Road, Orange, Conn. 06477 Filed Oct. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 497,348 1 Claim. (Cl. 101-1281) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is directed to a silk screen structure which utilizes separate border strips affixed to the two sets of strands or elements making up the screen. The opposite border strips are spaced from each other, such that, the strands therebetween are of equal length and such that the strands secured to one surface of the border strips are parallel to each other.

This invention relates to what is commonly known as silk screen printing and more particularly to a screen structure, a method of making the screen structure, and an adjustable frame for mounting the screen structure.

The prior art describes many techniques and frames for mounting silk screening or other fabrics thereon. The most common and the oldest method of mounting silk screening or other materials on the frame is by tacking the screening to the sides of the frame. This technique is time-consuming, generally produces misaligned screens and, further, the screening cannot be easily removed for cleaning.

More recently, techniques have been developed utilizing frames having an outer portion within which its mounted an inner portion, comprising separate adjustable members disposed parallel to the corresponding members of the outer portion of the frame. The screening material is generally clamped to the adjustable inner portion members by the use of clamping means, screws or bolts, arranged about the adjustable members. To tension the screening, adjustable means are coupled to the frame so as to permit the inner portion of the frame to be drawn toward the outer portion of the frame. Again, this method has produced a screen structure wherein the screening is not easily removed and wherein the screening tends to disorient itself during mounting.

Another method commonly in use today for mounting screening on a frame comprises sewing a fold on the ends of the screen so that dowels or other mounting members may be passed therethrough. The dowels are then mounted in adjustable members of a frame so that the screening may be tensed. Although the use of folds permits the screeing to be easily mounted, the ends of the screen tend to misalign upon being stretched inasmuch as they are not properly oriented prior to stretching. Additionally, the use of dowels or other members passing through the folds increases the time required to mount the screen.

In view of the foregoing, a new and improved screen and adjustable frame structure was required to simplify the procedures for mounting a screen. The new screen must provide not only means for preventing distortion of the screen, but must also include means for permitting the screen to be adjustably held in tension by a new and improved frame.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved screen which may be easily mounted on and removed from a supporting frame.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved method for making the screen structure.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new "ice and adjustable frame for positioning a screen attached thereto.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a new improved screen having a border strip affixed thereto, the border strip being substantially rigid with respect to the plane of the screen to provide a reference coordinate system for the screen.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a new and improved adjustable frame having at least two sides fixedly coupling the border of the screen thereto and at least two sides opposite the first-mentioned two sides having means for adjustably tensioning the screen within the frame.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.

The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and relation of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others and the article and apparatus possessing the features, properties and relation of elements which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view showing a step in the construction of the improved screen according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a screen according to this invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a frame, for mounting the screen of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the frame of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the screen according to the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view showing a step in the construction of an alternate embodiment of the screen of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the alternate embodiment of the screen of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a top view showing the alternate embodiment of the screen of the invention mounted on a frame; and

FIG. 10 is a top view of another alternate embodiment of the screen of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 13, there is disclosed a section of mesh screening 9 (FIG. 1) from which a portion 10 is cut to form a screen structure. The material 9 is preferably of a silk, but could-also include nylon, metallic and other types of materials currently used for screen printing purposes. The mesh is of the type having a plurality of parallel strands or elements which are perpendicular to a second set of parallel strands or elements, the two sets of parallel elements forming a screen wherein the elements lie substantially in a plane. To form the new and improved screen structure 11 of this invention (shown in FIG. 2), the section of screening 9 is stretched or tensed by a plurality of members shown at 12a and 12b, and 14a and 1411, respectively. These members could comprise those shown in Patent No. 2,894,455, wherein clamping means may be utilized or could include members to which the screening material has been tacked. Any other method of stretching the material in the direction shown by the arrows (FIG. 1), may be utilized. The material section 9 is stretched in order to orient the elements such that the elements of the two sets intersect each other at right angles. While the section 9 is held in tension, a thin integral border strip 15 is positioned thereon, as shown in FIG. 1. The strip 15 may comprise cardboard, impregnated cardboard commonly utilized in the box and carton industry, acetate,

plastic and other materials. The strip is selected such that when it is sealed to the screening it is substantially rigid (inflexible) in the plane of the screen. The border material is preferably selected so that it may bend in a plane which is perpendicular to the screen material, whereby the article produced may be easily folded for storage purposes. The strip 15 is sealed to the elements or strands of the screen portion by the use of rubber cement, pressure-sensitive glue, glue such as the commercially known Elmers, or the border could be heatsealed by heat-sealing adhesives commonly utilized in the cardboard and box industries. The strip is sealed to the elements of section 9 such that the elements between opposite sides of the border strip are equally tensed. Additionally, the elements are preferably of a length such that they are substantially equal.

Subsequent to the coupling of strip to the screen material tension elements 12a, 12b, 14a and 14b may be released and the elements which extend away from the border strip 15 cut off so that the screen portion 10 remains.

As a final step in the preparation of the screen structure 11, the strip 15 is cut such that separate border sections 15a-15b are formed (FIG. 2). These sections are formed such that they are no longer integrally attached to the other portions of the border. The border 15 may be cut by mounting the screen portion 10 and the border strips in a cutting mechanism such that a cutter may simultaneously cut ofi the sections of the border so that there remains the border configuration shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, if desired, manually-operated cutting means may be utilized. To prepare the screen structure for mounting on the frame, holes shown at 16 are formed in the border sections 12a-12d.

Thus a new and improved screen structure is provided which, when formed, includes border sections providing a reference coordinate system for the elements of the screen. The border is applied to the screen while the screen is stretched, but does not hold the material in tension while it is being stored. The strips merely grip the silk and orient both sets of parallel strands with respect to each other. The border strip unit is then easily attached to and detached from a main frame by placing the holes 16 in strips 15a-15d over studs positioned in a frame.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown a new and improved frame suitable for use with the new and improved screen structure of FIG. 2. This frame comprises an outside border section 20 constructed of wood, plastic, metal, or other suitable material having structural rigidity. Positioned in two sides of the frame are studs shown at 21 and 22, and positioned on the unstudded sides of the frame are adjustable mechanisms for stretching and tensioning the screen structure of FIG. 2. The adjustable mechanisms each comprise two supporting brackets 25 through which there is mounted -a shaft 26. Coupled to this shaft is a plurality of flexible members 27 adapted to be wound on the shaft. The members 27 include a plurality of pins which are used to couple portions 27 to the border strips of the screen 11. Provided on each of shafts 26 is a crank 28 and a ratchet wheel 29 which cooperates with a pawl 30 mounted on the sides of frame 20. Thus, in order to mount screen structure 11 on the frame 20, border strip portions 15a and 15b are coupled to studs 21 and 22, respectively. The other strip sections 150 and 15d are then coupled to straps 27 which are then adjustably tightened by use of the crank 28. In this manner a silk screen structure may be mounted on the frame in a matter of seconds and may be easily removed when necessary by the simple expedient of releasing the pawl 30.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown an alternate embodiment of the screen of FIG. 2. The screen structure comprises a central screen portion 40. Mounted on two sides of the portion are border strip members 41 and 42. These are sealed to the screen in the same manner as described in connection with FIG. 1. As an added feature, elastic material shown at 43 and 44, is sealed to the other two sides of the screen. These elastic strips are in turn sealed to the border strips 46 and 47 which are constructed from the same type of material as strips 41 and 42. The elastic strips may be rubber, elastomer or other types of elastic material. The elastic strips are preferably sealed to the screen in -a manner such as described with regard to FIG. 1. The strips 43 and 44 are used to equalize the inequalities of the silk tension which may occur in the fabrication of the silk and the border unit.

Referring now to FIGS. 7-9, there is shown an alternate embodiment of a screen structure according to the invention. In order to fabricate the screen, a mesh screening section 50 is stretched or tensed by a plurality of members 51 in the manner described in conjunction with FIG. 1. While the screening section 50 is held in tension, a thin integral border strip 55 is positioned and sealed thereon in the manner previously described in conjunction with FIG. 1. The strip 55 is selected such that it is substantially rigid in the plane of the screening but bendable in other planes so that a reference coordinate system is always provided for the strands of the mesh.

Subsequent to the coupling of strip 55- to the section 50, the strands of the screening extending away from strip 55 toward the members 51 are cut. Due to the resultant release of tension by the cutting of the strands, the resulting screening structure generally shown at 56 distorts into a hyperbolic paraboloid. Although the screening structure is distorted, the strands remain oriented with respect to the sides of the border strip 55. Thus, irrespective of the application of tension to the screen structure, the screening is always oriented to a reference coordinate system. In order to tense the strands to use the screening structure 56, a frame 58 is provided. This includes four adjustable members 59 for tensing the strands and four fixed members 60- for holding the border. Pins are provided to permit members 59 and 60 to be connected to the border strip 55.

Referring now to -FIG. 10, there is shown another alternate embodiment of a screen structure 70 according to the invention. This screen structure includes two L-shaped border strips 71 of the type previously described. The screen structure 70 may be constructed in the manner described in conjunction with FIG. 1, except that only two sides of the border strip are severed.

This completes the description of the method of construction of the new and improved screen structure and the frame for mounting the structure, as well as completing the description of the alternate embodiments of the screen sructure of FIG. 5.

There is thus provided a screen structure which may be easily stored, attached to and detached from a frame. The border sections are preferably selected such that they may be folded while, at the same time, providing sufficient rigidity in the plane of the surface of the screen so that they provide a reference coordinate system for the screen elements. The strips are preferably of a substantially thin material which may be as thin, or thinner, than if desired, although it is to be understood that thicker or thinner materials may be utilized insofar as they maintain their rigidity in the plane of the surface of the screen.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and since certain changes may be made in carrying out the above method and in the above device and apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements 5 6 of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of References Cited lanlgilszligiei1 might be said to fall therebetween. UNITED STATES PATENTS 1. An article comprising a mesh screen having two sets 2,218,451 10/1940 Heyne 101-1271 Xv of parallel strands interconnected with each other to form 5 2,8183% 1/1958 Levorson 101 127-1 a screening surface plane, a border strip means sealed 2,928,340 3/1960 Stein et to at least some of the ends of the strands, said border strip means being substantially rigid in the plane of the DAVID KLEIN Primary Exammer' screening surface, and wherein said border strip means US. Cl. X.R. includes two L-shaped portions separated from each other 10 29 446 1 at their ends. 

